Direct care nursing as a career destination: A qualitative exploration of why nurses stay

Catherine T Leach1, Jill J Whade, Savannah G Horvick

  • 1Catherine T. Leach is a Nurse Scientist at WakeMed Health & Hospitals in Raleigh, NC, and Adjunct Faculty in the College of Nursing at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC. Jill J. Whade is the Director, Magnet Program at WakeMed Health & Hospitals in Raleigh, NC. Savannah G. Horvick is a Clinical Nurse at WakeMed Health & Hospitals in Raleigh, NC, and a PhD Student in the College of Nursing at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC.

Nursing Management
|January 6, 2026
PubMed
Abstract

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